ICA Classics released a three-part interview with Ms. Dwyer, and in this video clip, we see the very first of the three segments. Dwyer recounts her earliest introduction to music at home, listening to radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. Her familiarity with the operatic literature proved helpful later in her private lessons with then principal flutist of the Chicago Symphony, Ernest Liegl. Traveling 100 miles from her hometown into Chicago for private lessons, she remembers the hour-long lessons, which consisted of at least one etude followed by orchestral studies. In this interview, she discusses opera as a genre that she did not necessarily prefer, but that she enjoyed because it was challenging -- and thrilling. She recalls having to sight-read an opera during her days with the National Symphony. She credits experiences such as that one to preparing her for the Boston Symphony. Dwyer explained that she would not allow herself to be distracted and did not want to "slip," She said, "I didn't think it was possible to lose track of where I was, because it was just so interesting, but that's exactly where people lose track..." Commenting on her position as a female orchestral flutist in the 1940s, Dwyer remembers her conductor in Washington, D.C. She says, "They never expected me to me good at all, because I was a girl -- think of that! But, (the conductor) never said he was surprised, because if he did, it would mean he didn't expect much from me, and he didn't want me to feel that way."
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Doriot Dwyer Interview - Part I
Powell player Doriot Anthony Dwyer is a living legend and pioneer of the flute world, having been the first female to hold a principal chair in a major U.S. symphony orchestra. Dwyer won the principal flute chair for the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1952 and held that position through 1990. Prior to Boston, she performed as second flutist with the National Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, and as principal flutist with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. She also performed as a studio musician in Los Angeles and with Frank Sinatra and the Ballets Russes in New York. She attended the Interlochen Arts Academy and is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music.
ICA Classics released a three-part interview with Ms. Dwyer, and in this video clip, we see the very first of the three segments. Dwyer recounts her earliest introduction to music at home, listening to radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. Her familiarity with the operatic literature proved helpful later in her private lessons with then principal flutist of the Chicago Symphony, Ernest Liegl. Traveling 100 miles from her hometown into Chicago for private lessons, she remembers the hour-long lessons, which consisted of at least one etude followed by orchestral studies. In this interview, she discusses opera as a genre that she did not necessarily prefer, but that she enjoyed because it was challenging -- and thrilling. She recalls having to sight-read an opera during her days with the National Symphony. She credits experiences such as that one to preparing her for the Boston Symphony. Dwyer explained that she would not allow herself to be distracted and did not want to "slip," She said, "I didn't think it was possible to lose track of where I was, because it was just so interesting, but that's exactly where people lose track..." Commenting on her position as a female orchestral flutist in the 1940s, Dwyer remembers her conductor in Washington, D.C. She says, "They never expected me to me good at all, because I was a girl -- think of that! But, (the conductor) never said he was surprised, because if he did, it would mean he didn't expect much from me, and he didn't want me to feel that way."
ICA Classics released a three-part interview with Ms. Dwyer, and in this video clip, we see the very first of the three segments. Dwyer recounts her earliest introduction to music at home, listening to radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. Her familiarity with the operatic literature proved helpful later in her private lessons with then principal flutist of the Chicago Symphony, Ernest Liegl. Traveling 100 miles from her hometown into Chicago for private lessons, she remembers the hour-long lessons, which consisted of at least one etude followed by orchestral studies. In this interview, she discusses opera as a genre that she did not necessarily prefer, but that she enjoyed because it was challenging -- and thrilling. She recalls having to sight-read an opera during her days with the National Symphony. She credits experiences such as that one to preparing her for the Boston Symphony. Dwyer explained that she would not allow herself to be distracted and did not want to "slip," She said, "I didn't think it was possible to lose track of where I was, because it was just so interesting, but that's exactly where people lose track..." Commenting on her position as a female orchestral flutist in the 1940s, Dwyer remembers her conductor in Washington, D.C. She says, "They never expected me to me good at all, because I was a girl -- think of that! But, (the conductor) never said he was surprised, because if he did, it would mean he didn't expect much from me, and he didn't want me to feel that way."
Friday, December 6, 2013
Let's Get This Poulenc Started - Cindy Ellis
The Poulenc Sonata for Flute and Piano is a staple of the flute repertoire, and as Powell player Cindy Ellis notes, "the opening is one of our most beloved passages...and one of our trickiest as well." The opening's high E is particularly a challenging point, but Ms. Ellis demonstrates some techniques for performing the opening with ease. In the video below, she demonstrates technical exercises using longtones to build control and explains some mechanical options for facilitating the high E (the split-E mechanism and the G disc).
To read more about Cindy Ellis visit:
http://cindyellisflute.com/
https://powellflutes.com/academy/masters/cynthia-ellis
![]() |
Click here to view the video by Cindy Ellis. |
http://cindyellisflute.com/
https://powellflutes.com/academy/masters/cynthia-ellis
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Paul Edmund-Davies on Sonority
When we play flute, the air we put into the instrument creates sound. However, the way we put air into the instrument affects the sonorities we create. This concept is discussed by Powell Artist Paul Edmund-Davies in the video below. While many flutists think about blowing air "into" the flute, Mr. Edmund-Davies demonstrates the concept of blowing air through the flute. He discusses his conceptualization of blowing "through" the instrument and gives us some terrific examples, including a simple G major scale and the introduction of the Fauré Fantasise for Flute, Op.79.
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Click this caption to watch the Paul Edmund-Davies video on sonority. |
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Thursday, November 14, 2013
Yo-Yo Ma’s “Edge Effect”: Creating Art for Life’s Sake
By Susanna Loewy
Few people speak as well as Leonard Bernstein; he is eloquent, calm, and effective. When he speaks, he creates an inspiration to learn. He influenced a generation by creating the Young People’s Concerts; through those concerts, his Harvard lectures, and his numerous interviews, his educational legacy is seldom matched. Yo-Yo Ma though, has established himself as having many of the same interests, as well as the same speaking gift. In Ma’s Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, he posits that we all need to push toward the “Edge Effect” in order to create “Art for Life’s Sake.” This lecture, although an hour long, is well worth the time. Simply put (and without exaggerating), the talk is life-changing.
The thesis: In ecology, the place
where two ecosystems merge is where there is the most diversity in species, and
where the most growth occurs. The two habitats influence each other and the
biological density flourishes. This phenomenon is called the “edge effect.”
Yo-Yo applies the concept to the arts, saying that in order to continue to
create new, interesting, and sustaining art, we have to push toward our own
edges. We need to meet the other art forms and allow ourselves to influence
(and be influenced by) our surroundings. And actually, he doesn’t just appeal
to the arts… he says that we have to address the three engines of our society
-- the political, economic, and cultural engines -- and overlap wherever we
can. If we can create the venn diagram overlap between the three, that
intersection is where we have the most potential. Yo-Yo speaks beautifully, and
interchanges performance examples with fact, creating a woven lecture concert
that every artist and educator should experience.
I feel lucky to be part of this project, and I’m inspired to create more. It won’t necessarily be the same model (nor should it be), but I’m excited about pushing myself and others to a different plane. I’m obviously not Yo-Yo Ma, but I think that I have figured out an example of an edge effect, and it feels amazing. We can’t all be world famous educators or musicians, but we can all influence our own realms; we just have to figure out how we’re most effective. Simply put, I think this “edge effect” and creation of “art for life’s sake” are worth examining thoroughly. The interpretation will always be different, and that’s how it should be.
Few people speak as well as Leonard Bernstein; he is eloquent, calm, and effective. When he speaks, he creates an inspiration to learn. He influenced a generation by creating the Young People’s Concerts; through those concerts, his Harvard lectures, and his numerous interviews, his educational legacy is seldom matched. Yo-Yo Ma though, has established himself as having many of the same interests, as well as the same speaking gift. In Ma’s Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, he posits that we all need to push toward the “Edge Effect” in order to create “Art for Life’s Sake.” This lecture, although an hour long, is well worth the time. Simply put (and without exaggerating), the talk is life-changing.
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Susanna Loewy painting "sets" for collaborative performance. |
It’s easy to rely on what we
know. As musicians, we know orchestras and the standard type of concert hall
performance. Visual artists know gallery openings. There is a resistance toward
trying something new, because new things can fail. If we combine the arts, if
we’re outside the concert hall, are we still valid musicians? Moreover,
is the end result ridiculous? That’s certainly a possibility… but within that
sometimes scary liminal space, there is also the alternative of creating
something meaningful.
An example: Cheryl Hochberg, the
visual arts department head at Kutztown University (where I am the flute
professor), has an art opening at Montgomery College in Maryland next week.
After viewing the Ballet Russe exhibit at the National Gallery of Art last
spring (and attending an accompanying concert), she had the idea that, in a
ballet, the costumes are what bridge visual aspects of the art (set design and
dance) to music. She contacted me about collaborating to create a costumed
musical experience at her art opening. At first, I was skeptical. Costumes,
really?? But then, I got inspired.
What music would relate to her
work? My answer: Cheryl’s work is slightly surrealist -- nature scenes that
are, in some almost unidentifiable way, tweaked. So, I thought music within the
neoclassical vein would be effective; the standard framework of the classical
time period influenced with sarcasm and understated pain seemed to
appropriately match Cheryl’s art.
Next, how could the costumes
work? Musicians generally aren’t all that gung-ho to wear capes, masks, and
tights. I was a bit nervous about the whole venture, and the feasibility of
selling it to the musicians involved. But, I had the opportunity to talk with
Andy Brehm, the costume designer, and together we (Cheryl, Andy, and I) came up
with a concept that works. Andy and his students (with Cheryl’s help) are
creating stationary boots made of plaster that are modeled to represent the
lower portion of an animal. Next, the music stands are being rebuilt to act as
the animal torsos. So, the musicians (dressed in black pants and matching
colored turtlenecks) step into a ‘set’ of sorts and perform as characters
inspired by Cheryl’s work.
It might not work. Even with the
absence of capes and the like, the whole scenario might wind up feeling insane,
or silly… but I really don’t think that’s going to be the case. I think it’s
going to be incredible. I’m excited about the performance next Thursday; I
think it has real possibility of uniquely influencing audience members. If
nothing else, that audience we’re creating is something new and different. Some
people will be there to hear the Inscape
musicians. Some people will be there to see Cheryl’s work, and some for Andy’s.
With any luck, all three branches will overlap and be changed. They’ll be more
aware of the other art forms around them; perhaps the art enthusiasts will keep
going to Inscape concerts, and maybe the music aficionados will become more
aware of art openings. And that effect of creating new interest is what we, as
musicians today, need to grasp. We can’t isolate ourselves and stubbornly
insist that the model we’re used to is the only relevant model. Of course, the
seemingly silly and insane projects also don’t have to be the only things we’re
doing, but eclecticism certainly needs to be embraced with as much enthusiasm
and vigor as projects more standard.
And here’s something else: Last
Thursday, I had a day that seemed like it would never end. It was 9pm and I had
been going since 5am that morning. As I was getting ready to leave Kutztown, I
stopped by Cheryl’s house; I knew she, Andy, and the students were working on
the boots, and I wanted to see how it was going. I walked into the house
and sat down on the spinning chair just outside the studio doorway.
Cheryl glanced up and told me to come to look at what they were doing. I walked
over and as I was standing there looking over their plaster creations, she
handed me a paintbrush. I play the flute; I don’t paint. My reaction was to
look at it skeptically and grimace. I’m a little scared of visual art. Cheryl
rolled her eyes and handed me the yellow paint. I reluctantly started covering
the boot with paint, and before I knew it, I had my hands in yellow wax and my
dress and shoes were covered in dusty plaster. More importantly, I felt both
calm and invigorated in a way that I have seldom experienced. The art -- it was
so different than practicing, than anything to do with music. After a long day
of teaching, organizing and performing, it was exactly what I needed. Spotify
was playing, and while I’m not normally a fan of background music, in this case
it just melted into the artwork and the atmosphere. I had physically stepped
from the doorway into the studio, and was then merged into a different world. I
no longer felt alone or isolated; I was part of group of artists… and the fact
that I’m actually going to perform in these boots makes it all the more
meaningful. I was involved in the creation process, and the performance will
mean that much more. Art: for life’s sake.
Next semester, there will be a
repeat performance in Pennsylvania. Only, then it will be student musicians
playing. So, I’ll get the chance to relay my experiences to my students, to
talk to them about creating an interdisciplinary performance, in addition to
teaching the music. They’ll get to be part of this whole process as well.
They’ll take their experiences and share it with others; more audiences will be
created…
I feel lucky to be part of this project, and I’m inspired to create more. It won’t necessarily be the same model (nor should it be), but I’m excited about pushing myself and others to a different plane. I’m obviously not Yo-Yo Ma, but I think that I have figured out an example of an edge effect, and it feels amazing. We can’t all be world famous educators or musicians, but we can all influence our own realms; we just have to figure out how we’re most effective. Simply put, I think this “edge effect” and creation of “art for life’s sake” are worth examining thoroughly. The interpretation will always be different, and that’s how it should be.
Labels:
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Friday, November 8, 2013
A Trial Run
We recently had one of our Powell artists here at the shop to try new flutes and headjoints. He tried several headjoints and flutes made from different metals -- gold, silver, platinum, and Aurumite. First, the artist tested the flutes in a small office. Then, the artist moved on to a larger conference room. Finally, he moved to a large "auditorium." Obviously, the sound varied depending on the acoustic space, so it was important for him to try the instruments in different spaces.
The artist was particularly concerned with projection. The auditorium would create a space that served as a a better gauge of how far the sound would carry than a smaller room could provide. For the artist, projection was a key factor because many of his current performance engagements are solos with orchestras. Orchestral performers are often looking for equipment that will allow them to blend with the section as well.
When it comes to trials, sound is really central to any test. However, there are other factors that the player needs to evaluate, such as resistance and ease of articulation. Metal properties and characteristics will factor into the mix as one considers price range as well. The ability to customize the flute and headjoint components allow players to have "a bit" of metals that create certain qualities while staying within a price point that is comfortable (such as a gold riser on a silver headjoint). When considering metal choices, players may have allergies that need to be taken into consideration as well. Our Customer Service Manager recounted one customer with a silver flute and headjoint who eventually developed a rash under her lip, which was indicative of an allergy to silver. When it comes to headjoints in particular, other players may simply have older headjoint styles and find that a variety of newer cuts provide them with all the characteristic qualities they are looking for in something new.
Our artist had an idea of what he thought he would choose and then went with something quite different after several trials in different rooms. He also asked for feedback from staff members in a "blind test" in the auditorium. If you are interested in a Powell flute or headjoint trial, you can submit a request at https://powellflutes.com/schedule-trial.
The artist was particularly concerned with projection. The auditorium would create a space that served as a a better gauge of how far the sound would carry than a smaller room could provide. For the artist, projection was a key factor because many of his current performance engagements are solos with orchestras. Orchestral performers are often looking for equipment that will allow them to blend with the section as well.
When it comes to trials, sound is really central to any test. However, there are other factors that the player needs to evaluate, such as resistance and ease of articulation. Metal properties and characteristics will factor into the mix as one considers price range as well. The ability to customize the flute and headjoint components allow players to have "a bit" of metals that create certain qualities while staying within a price point that is comfortable (such as a gold riser on a silver headjoint). When considering metal choices, players may have allergies that need to be taken into consideration as well. Our Customer Service Manager recounted one customer with a silver flute and headjoint who eventually developed a rash under her lip, which was indicative of an allergy to silver. When it comes to headjoints in particular, other players may simply have older headjoint styles and find that a variety of newer cuts provide them with all the characteristic qualities they are looking for in something new.
Our artist had an idea of what he thought he would choose and then went with something quite different after several trials in different rooms. He also asked for feedback from staff members in a "blind test" in the auditorium. If you are interested in a Powell flute or headjoint trial, you can submit a request at https://powellflutes.com/schedule-trial.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Bernard Z. Goldberg
By Christina Cobas (with Dr. Nora Lee Garcia)
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Bernard Z. Goldberg |
Bernard Z. Goldberg,
former principal flutist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, is recognized as
one of the world’s leading performers and teachers of the instrument. Among
others, he has studied with George Barrere, Marcel Moyse, and Pablo Casals.
Graduating from Julliard at the age of 19, he joined the Cleveland Orchestra, and
became their principal flutist at age of 21. Two years later he accepted the
position of principal flute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and New York
Lincoln Center “Mostly Mozart Festival” chose him as principal flute. Throughout his tenure, he played all three
Mozart concertos in Avery Fisher Hall. He has performed under conductors Fritz
Reiner, William Steinberg, Pablo Casals, Andre Previn, Lorin Maazel, Enrich
Leinsdorf, Victor de Sabata, Paul Paray and many more.
Mr. Goldberg has toured extensively as a recitalist and with
the Musica Viva Trio. He has given numerous recitals in New York, most notably
at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. Among his recordings are
releases with the Musica Viva Trio, the Audubon Quartet, the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra and the Casals Festival. Mr Goldberg is a member of the
faculty of the Brooklyn College Conservatory in New York and has served as
guest conductor for many orchestras around the world.
Goldberg’s determination and hard work propelled him to a
highly successful teaching and performing career. His teaching techniques were
acquired through experience and by observing great artists making music. He
inspires many students through his playing, teaching philosophies and
dedication.
Goldberg often remembers a quote from a conversation with
Jean-Pierre Rampal:
“...if you want to have an audience
you have to love the audience and you have to give with your full heart.” Goldberg has added his own addition to this
sentiment “There is no way that you can have a successful career or especially
successful life if you hold back. When I give a master class I don’t know any
of the students, but I try to give them all that I know I have. I’m interested
in the students who try to learn to make music.”
Dr. Nora Lee Garcia, Associate Professor at the University
of Central Florida, is a former student of Mr. Goldberg and comments about his
teaching:
“I was 12 years old when I heard
Mr. Goldberg for the first time. It was at The Casals Festival in Puerto Rico,
and he was playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This was an amazing
experience to watch and listen to him perform. He was able to project across
the orchestra or blend perfectly with any instrument. When I was 19, I went to study with him at
Brooklyn College for my Master’s degree. I remember the first lesson; I wanted
to impress him so badly. I played the first movement of the Ibert
Concerto. When I finished he looked at
me and said ‘Do you know that playing the flute is easy?’ We looked at each other and laughed. From that lesson on, I learned not only music
making but how music is built and the traditions that are behind it.
One of my favorite stories from my
lessons with Goldberg (that I always share with my students) involved an Altes
Etude he has asked me to learn. Mr.
Goldberg studied the Altes Etudes with George Barrere, who in turn studied with
Altes himself. As a result, Mr. Goldberg
knows Altes Etudes inside and out (in fact, he will play the second flute part
by memory with his students). One week I was studying very hard for my Masters
degree exams and didn’t devote enough time to truly learn the etude. So, I
planned to leave my book at home and try to get through the lesson without
playing it. My lesson started as usual
with Taffanel and Gaubert scales and thirds. Then Mr. Goldberg smiled and asked
for the Altes Etude. I went to my bag
and began looking through it – with concern on my face. I turned and said to him “I forgot my book at
home -- I was practicing and forgot to bring it.” Mr. Goldberg looked at me
very sternly and said ‘Play it by memory.’
I remember looking at him with shock on my face, and nervously, I
started playing the first 4 measures.
All of a sudden, Altes became a new composition. I stopped, and he said
to me ‘Next time when you practice so much – memorize it!’ I learned my lesson and always remember that
experience with a smile.
I was always impressed by how he
coped with such a busy schedule traveling from Pittsburgh to New York every
week. During my three years of study
with him he never cancelled a lesson and never was late. He was always full of
energy and gave 100% of his attention to all students in their lessons.
Mr. Goldberg’s expertise in
performing the music of J.S. Bach is very unique. He studied with Diran
Alexanian one of the world’s foremost experts on Bach’s music. During my lessons, I learned many aspects of
phrasing and tone color possibilities.
He was able to teach music in even
the simplest of melodies. I watched him
teach a master class on the 24 Little Melodies book and by the end everybody in
the room was in love with the book. The
younger generations of flutists don’t necessarily know these types of books and
Goldberg and others are doing a great job of bringing these treasures to life.
Goldberg studied at the Marlboro
Music Festival with Marcel Moyse, and has many stories to share. In one master class, Goldberg played one of
the 24 Little Melodies for Moyse and the class.
When he was finished, Moyse asked the class, ‘Do you know the composer
of this piece?’ And many people replied with many different answers. The correct answer was, Moyse did! Moyse proceeded to explain to the class that
the flute player needs to learn how to play a simple melody and as many
variations as possible. This stayed with
Goldberg through all of his performing and teaching – and is still with him
today.”
Bernard Z. Goldberg is currently on faculty at the Brooklyn
College Conservatory and maintains a private studio as well as an active masterclass
schedule. Since his retirement from the
Pittsburgh Symphony in 1993, he has served as flute coach for the Asian Youth
Orchestra and spent eight years as Conductor and Musical Director of the
McKeesport PA Symphony (1993-2001). He
loves to read and always is learning new music and scores.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Grenadilla Headjoint
By Tammy Evans Yonce
I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to try (and then
purchase) a wooden Powell headjoint. I was interested in experimenting with the
different color possibilities that I could get with the headjoint, and I
haven't been disappointed. Having studied Baroque flute for a short while, I
was curious if the headjoint would allow me to create that warmer wooden sound
with so many subtle color variations that are possible on Baroque flute.
Not only are there a lot of color possibilities with this
headjoint, but I've been really happy with how well it blends with other
instruments. As a flutist who plays a lot of chamber music, it's nice to have a
few headjoint options so that it is possible to choose the one that blends best
with the particular instrumentation with which I'm playing.
Find Dr. Tammy Evans Yonce on the web:
Powell Profile: https://powellflutes.com/recording-studio/artists/tammy-evans-yonce-0
Personal website: www.tammyevansyonce.com
Twitter: @TammyEvansYonce.
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Tammy Evans Yonce |
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Dr. Yonce in a recent recital with the grenadilla headjoint. |
I've used this headjoint quite a bit in my daily
practice as well as in recital since buying it earlier this year. It has been a
flexible, useful addition to my Powell collection.
Find Dr. Tammy Evans Yonce on the web:
Powell Profile: https://powellflutes.com/recording-studio/artists/tammy-evans-yonce-0
Personal website: www.tammyevansyonce.com
Twitter: @TammyEvansYonce.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Teaching Our Teachers...
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Leone Buyse |
David Berman had taught at Ithaca College for only three years when I met him as a 12-year-old flute student. In the three decades that followed he made immense contributions to the Ithaca College School of Music and also to the greater Ithaca community through his annual solo recitals and numerous faculty chamber music concerts each year. He played in the Ithaca Chamber Orchestra and the Ithaca Woodwind Quintet, and was both a conductor and member of the Ithaca Opera Orchestra. At Ithaca College he built a vital flute studio and while teaching flute, music theory, and music history mentored untold numbers of students who now serve our profession as performers and teachers. As a faculty leader he developed and headed the chamber music program and chaired the committee that instigated such major changes in the music curriculum as making chamber music a requirement, requiring diction classes for all singers, and offering a 4.5-year program that combines music education and performance. In addition, during the three years that Berman served as Assistant Dean he instituted many improvements to the physical plant of the music school. He justifiably takes pride in those accomplishments, but above all, he is most proud of all his students, saying, “Students are your teachers.” How true!
How exactly did Dave Berman’s teaching make such a difference to me and the many students whom he mentored during the course of his professional life? In re-reading notebooks that contain his comments from lessons more than four decades ago, I’m continually struck by the life wisdom that was shared in those hours—lessons that always included a balanced diet of scales, etudes, solos, and assigned duets. As an example, here’s my entry for July 24, 1962:
Start competing with unseen competitors.
Aim for Carnegie Hall.
The USA is only one country in a huge world…
Plan to practice 3-4 hours daily.
Budget your time.
Immediately following those motivational words comes the practical, technical advice that I clearly must have needed:
While playing Taffanel Gaubert exercises, stop on a note and listen to your tone.Try to maintain brilliance in the upper middle register when going down.Don’t make the embouchure hole too wide for your lowest notes because too much air will escape.Try to get a good low tone before vibrating; vibrato is a camouflage.
Here are just a few other sample comments from other lesson entries:
Practice without stopping before hard passages in an etude.
Don’t think about your teacher’s possible reaction—Just play!
View criticisms in proportion.
Point the tongue for a clear staccato.
Practicing whistle tones requires a relaxed embouchure and good support. This will help develop tonal placement and embouchure strength.
In exploring tone and articulation there are never-ending complexities, deeper and deeper shades and details.
These quotes offer only a small glimpse of the spirit that made David Berman’s pedagogy so meaningful. He was demanding and he was honest; he was able to get to the heart of a technical or musical problem and help a student improve. How often he tried to help me achieve a sense of musical freedom, especially in music that had an ethnic quality, such as Bartok. At those times he would often ask me to sing, which I dreaded. (Not any more—I now sing all the time while teaching!) Most important, he possessed a well-honed sense of how and when to push or encourage, and he understood how each student’s background might affect his or her ability to approach and solve an issue. He was intuitive, kind, and effective—a winning combination of attributes for anyone in the teaching profession.
*The full text of Ms. Buyse's post, titled "Honoring David Berman," may be found on her website at http://www.leonebuyse.com/advice-inspiration/.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Paul Edmund-Davies on Breathing
Paul Edmund-Davies says, "If you have air, you have a voice." What
exactly does this mean? Well, breathing properly is critical when
playing a wind instrument, and Mr. Edmund-Davies elaborates on this in
the video lesson below. He says that it is important to understand the
workings of the lungs and how to control air. He discusses "types of
breaths" that he has observed over the years and compares the "shallow
breath" with the much more substantial "diagonal breath." Musical
examples featured in the lesson include Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Mozart's Flute Concerto No.1 in G Major, K.313, and Bach's Flute Concerto in G Minor, BWV 1056.
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Click this caption to watch the Paul Edmund-Davies video lesson on breathing. |
Friday, October 4, 2013
Healing Powers with Royalton Music_Update
We had previously posted the article below about Royalton Music Center's music therapy program, lesson program, and summer music offerings. We realized that the numbers and options had probably grown since we last spoke with Royalton Music Center's COO, Lauren Haas Amanfoh, so we caught up with her to see what was new. The last paragraph has certainly changed from our previous post! You will see that the number of students in their lesson program has grown (by 100), the early childhood Music Class program is now seven times per week (was three just a year ago!), and there are three new summer offerings.
Many local music retailers have had long-standing
relationships with the school districts in their communities, but there is one
particular retailer that has expanded its programs to fully serve the
diversified populations in its community -- Royalton Music Center. Located in North Royalton, Ohio, the store
opened its doors 48 years ago and has remained a thriving, family-run business
for three generations. Owner and Chief
Operating Officer, Lauren Haas Amanfoh, recalled that her grandfather, Richard
Eleck, opened the store to serve the greater musical needs of the
community. Mr. Eleck was a band director
at St. Albert’s Parish School and opened the store with the help of his wife,
Ida. Lauren is now the third-generation owner
of the store and spoke to us in-depth about one program in particular that is
very close to her personally – their music therapy program.
Lauren Haas Amanfoh at Royalton Music Center |
Lauren’s mother, Sheri Eleck-Haas, began the music therapy
program at RMC fifteen years ago. At the
time, Sheri was the second-generation owner of the family business and greatly
believed in the value and proven benefits of music therapy programs. She recognized that through music therapy and
the application of musical methods, many clients with disabilities were able to
achieve other life-changing goals as well.
For example, songs help Alzheimer’s patients recall memories. Other participants who may have never spoken before
utter their first words through singing.
Lauren emphasized that music therapy is so powerful because the goals
are not just musical – the changes affect the lives of participants and their
families – which Lauren witnessed first-hand recently. In 2009, Lauren’s mother, Sheri, was fighting
breast cancer and receiving inpatient treatment at the Cleveland Clinic,
ultimately unable to sit-up or talk because of her condition. She was in constant pain, for which she was
connected to a pain pump machine to receive pain medication, and constant
oxygen. Lauren remembered coming into
the room to visit her mother at the hospital one day, and she could not believe
her eyes: her mother was sitting with a
music therapist – sitting up by herself in a chair – and singing Barbara
Streisand songs. Sheri always loved
music, so music therapy was extremely beneficial to her personally, psychologically,
and physically. After this particular
session, Lauren recalled that her mother was free of pain for 30 to 45
minutes. Lauren said, “I always believed
in music therapy, but seeing its effect with my own eyes, with my own mother,
was unbelievable.” She mentioned that
she had seen the changes with other clients, but stated, “Seeing it work for my
mother reaffirmed my beliefs and devotion to music therapy because it made a
difference for my mother when nothing else did.
It really was life-changing.”
Sadly, Lauren’s mother passed away later that year on
Christmas Day, but Lauren is grateful that her mother was able to personally
benefit from a program that was so meaningful to her. The music therapy program at Royalton Music began
with one client, and the store’s program now serves about 35 to 40 clients per
month. RMC works with three music
therapists: one for adults with brain trauma, and two for children with
conditions such as Down Syndrome, Autism, and speech delay. All three therapists are board certified and
offer 30, 45, and 60-minute sessions.
Program sessions are offered on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and
Saturday, and as Lauren shared, “the therapists get booked up pretty quickly!” She says that the program is not heavily
promoted, but rather has grown “organically” (by advertising on their website,
in the store, and by word-of-mouth).
Participants also have the opportunity to cover costs through funding
subsidized by the county – similar to flex spending offered by some medical
insurance plans.
Participants in RMC’s music therapy program enjoy sessions
in a dedicated music therapy room at the store.
This space is equipped with a piano and other traditional instruments as
well as adaptive instruments (including guitars, keyboards, and percussion
instruments). Those in the program also
have the opportunity to perform in recitals, much like students in Royalton’s
private lesson program. Recently, music
therapy and private lesson students performed on integrated recitals, which
Lauren said have been very well-received.
Royalton Music’s support of music therapy programs is not
limited to their own space, however. Lauren
shared that she works with other programs in terms of sponsorship and
instrument/equipment donations.
Recently, she had the opportunity to assist a college student travelling
to Ghana – which also happens to be Lauren’s husband’s home country. Lauren told us that the students in Ghana had
so few material goods but were so happy simply to have “$1 kazoos” from
Royalton Music. “Seeing a group of
children with these simple kazoos with our logo stamped on them -- happy and making music – brought me to
tears,” she said.
Royalton Music Center’s music therapy program is one of
several educational offerings at the store.
Lauren explained that there is “the educational side of the store and
the retail side of the store.” On the
retail side, they have grown and expanded, offering sales, rentals, and
displaying at trade shows throughout the country. On the educational side, there are programs
for everyone. Royalton Music offers The
Music Class for infants to 5-year-old children who attend with their
parents. This particular program is now
offered seven times a week. In addition to their private lesson program
which is comprised of over 40 instructors who teach more than 600 students each
week, Royalton Music also provides group lessons, summer music camps, and
ensembles – including a jazz band, rock band, a Montessori-based wind band,
group guitar, and group ukelele. One of
Royalton’s latest summer offerings is an “originals” rock camp where students
write and record their own music in a professional music studio. We can only imagine how many lives have been
enriched by their programs. This remarkable
family business will undoubtedly thrive as it approaches its 50th anniversary
in 2014, bringing music into the lives of those who seek it – and those who may
once have considered it only a dream, but never a reality.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Christina Jennings: Recording the Music of George Rochberg
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Christina Jennings, Lura Johnson, and George Rochberg. |
Preparations
This summer I have been very busy preparing for
my Fall recording session. This music, which is very dear to my heart, will be
Volume I of music for flute by the American composer, George Rochberg. In
addition to actually practicing this music- which has moments of extreme
technical demand and lots of juicy choices to make about sound color and style-
I am involved in the large scale transcription project of Rochberg’s Caprice
Variations for solo violin. Each of these miniature movements are based on the
Niccolo Paganini theme we flutists know from the etudes (Caprice 24, book 2).
Each of Rochberg’s caprices is done in a different style- Bach, Haydn,
Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Bartok, and many of them quote moments from his own
Concord Quartets (#4-6). These Quartets were pivotal compositions in the 1970s
and 80s and were composed for my father’s string quartet. I grew up with this
music through the string quartets, but also through my father’s performance of
the Caprices. Here are some of his notes and also a link to his youtube version
(Andrew Jennings Complete Caprice variations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIj4mwvTuCI)
…
1970 was a pivotal year in
Mr. Rochberg’s life in many ways. He was working on two large-scale
commissions, a solo piano work for Jerome Lowenthal which became the Carneval Music, and a new string quartet
for the Concord Quartet debut recital. He was struggling in both works
with a multi-lingual musical vocabulary
which drew as much on the musics of the past as those of the present without
the use of overt quotation. From the vantage point of 2010 it is hard to understand
(or remember) just how radical this idea was in 1970 (which is a measure of
just how potent and successful his revolutionary work was to be.) It was an enormously difficult challenge that
was taking vast amounts of time to work out. At the same time his teen-aged
daughter was on the crux of her own dilemma. A gifted dancer as well as a
brilliant intellect, she had been apprenticed to the Buffalo Ballet and was being groomed for a career in dance.
The pressure on her to make the decision between scholarship and dance was
enormous at such a young age and she asked her father for advice. Never one for
half measures, George decided that he would attend every one of her
performances of Nutcracker in
Philadelphia in order to see just how she might fit into this lifestyle so he
could better advise her.
He described to me returning
home every evening exhausted (and he never could stand Tchaikowsky to start
with) flopping down on his couch, where he did most of his composing, and only
having enough energy to produce little sketches for the larger works. These
sketches took the form of solo violin miniatures where he was working out
certain ideas, and as he wrote he began to use as a “springboard” the
twenty-fourth Caprice of Paganini. He
was intrigued not only by its compelling simplicity but also by the way that
same music was reflected in many other
composers. That musical germ allowed him to find a bridge to Bach, to Mahler,
Beethoven, Brahms and on and on.
By the end of some fifty Nutcrackers George had a sizeable stack
of short sketches which allowed him to finish both the Carvneval Music and the Quartet
in time for their respective premieres. (By the way, his advice to Chessie was
not to pursue ballet and she went on to a brilliant academic career that has
included the award of a MacArthur grant.)
After the success of the Quartet, George became the composer of
the moment, his music was being played all over and there were many calls on
him for new works. His publisher, on a visit to his studio noticed the stack of
manuscript sketches and when George told him what it was, suggested that he
might like to turn them into something publishable. In 1973, after polishing
and reworking the sketches, they were published as the Caprice Variations for Solo Violin.
The works were not conceived
in any was as “pedagogical” studies as some have thought, rather they are more
in the style of the great “miniatures” tradition of the piano literature
(Chopin, Brahms, Liszt come to mind.)
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Jennings-Johnson Duo |
The transcription process has been a creative
nirvana as I make choices about how to best capture the composer’s intentions
and also bring some of my own thoughts alive. Because I grew up in a family of
violinists and am now married to a violist, string writing and technique is
familiar. I have been able to use flute extended techniques to bring out some
of the colors of the violin, including multiphonics, flutter tongue, jet
whistle, and whistle tones to name a few. This project has followed me on my
summer Festival hopping: first at Sarasota Music Festival where I debuted a few
of the new transcriptions on Sarasota Public Radio, then at Greenwood Music
Camp (in Cummington, MA) where I finished up the actual transcriptions. My
family and I are currently enjoying an island off the coast of Maine where,
while they sail and kayak, I am cleaning-up the transcriptions and actually
practicing them! CU alumnus Mathieu D’Ordine has been putting the
transcriptions into Finale, so we’ve been sending back and forth lots of drafts.
I look forward to rehearing with my amazing
collaborators: Lura Johnson (http://lurajohnson.com/) and
June Han (http://www.bowdoinfestival.org/ai_june_han.php) and
working with the incredible Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Judith
Sherman (http://www.discogs.com/artist/Judith+Sherman)
Drafts of Caprice Variations used as scrap paper
for 4 year olds!
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